Lynnewob

We've cruised both lines and like them for different reasons. We've had all cabin grades on Cunard, except Q2 and Q1. On Azamara, we've had Continent Suite, Owners Suite, Spa Suite. We love Cunard for their dress code as people really make an effort in the evening. We do prefer the aft QG cabins as they are more open on the Vista sisters than the Q4/Q3 which are more of a W shape. We actually found we had more availability for seating in a PG cabin when we had friends on board than in a Q3. QM2 is different and the cabins are larger but the restaurants are not positioned in a great place. The service in QG is excellent and the flambes tableside are lovely. You can ask for something off menu for the evening if requested at breakfast or lunchtime. The table is yours throughout the voyage with the same waiters and sommelier. The restaurant has great views out to sea - wonderful if dining at night in the Norwegian Fjords due to the midnight sun (on QV/QE). The middle outdoor grills terrace is lovely for lunch if the weather is good, but it has no views. We have dined there at night when overnighting in Istanbul but it is not widely used in the evening. The rest of the ship is larger and can get crowded in some bars but there are choices to suit different tastes - we like the Commodore Club. Speciality coffees are not included, unless sitting in the Grills lounge. Neither are drinks, so bear that in mind. However, you can take your own on board for consumption in the room - we always bring champagne for balcony sailaways. 1 bottle of spirits pp (+ mixers/water) is provided in QG (or wine, not champagne though, except the 1 on boarding). Azamara's staff on board are wonderful and they remember you - this is due to the small size of ship and less people on board. The senior officers are also very visible and will always chat. We prefer that the buffet is served to you on Azamara (not keen on everyone handling buffet utensils on other lines) and that you can sit outside in good weather overlooking the back of the ship for breakfast, lunch and returning from shore. Drinks are included and in suites, they give the one bottle pp option too. The Butler service on Azamara feels more personal and more helpful than on Cunard. Suites on Azamara include speciality dining in the 2 restaurants but the menu is a little repetitive if on for a longer time. The service is exceptional in these restaurants. The higher level suites have drinks and a dinner with the Snr officers. We love the fact that Azamara can get into smaller ports - a highlight for us is the ability to tender into Dubrovnik and sail directly into Seville. There is no way Cunard could do that, the ships are just too big. Azamara's dress code is "country club casual". This varies a lot to people's interpretation and is not anywhere near Cunard's code. We are limited to dates we can sail, so look at both lines and consider itineraries and happy to do either line. We have used Celebrity in the past, but Retreat pricing has got ridiculous and the ships are loud with not much space to sit and chat as music is blasted everywhere. If we want that on the odd occasion and the itinerary works, we will sail Princess at a much cheaper price. Hope this helps a little.

Slots have a sliding bar on the screen where you log your pin which shows how close you are to getting a free drink, so you can monitor progress as you play. You can use the "slot" drinks at any time by asking a passing waiter to have them taken from your casino points while playing slots or whilst sat at a table. If you want a more expensive drink (ie. Laurent Perrier champagne v Prosessco), 2 drinks points can be used. Free drinks at the table are very much at the discretion of the pit boss, so will depend on how much your stake is, how long you're there, how quiet the tables are - there really is nothing set in stone on this.

JGmf - that's great news - more staff in Arizona (Alan in particular has been amazing) seem to have a handle on things, whereas the Phillipines don't. I finally booked my flights for 2 Sep and hotel the night before as things have settled down now. In my account, I can see the freeplay offer(s) but not that it has been assigned to this particular cruise. I'm just going to take my paper CBS with me and get them to add the freeplay on board.

3rd cancellation on 14 July (0830hrs UK time) after a call the evening before to "protect" the booking from cancellation. At this point, I wondered if they would ever get it right. Called Alan in Arizona that evening (2000hrs UK) who said he would escalate it again to Manny and give them hell as it's been such an issue. Confirmed the BD cabin number required (it was still available) and said no Princess Plus or transfers needed. Logged into my account this morning (15 July) to find a Nil balance (instead of the usual $4k) and no upgrade fee either 😁 I can even see the $200pp deposit showing as OBC 😀. Yippee, I think we have success 🤞 I'm leaving it a week from now, before I book any flights (as we don't sail until 2 Sep) as I'm still wary. I should have trust but after everything that has happened and promises made, my trust has gone.

Thanks Rick&Jeannie. I am the same member that posted Lynnewob and an old CC member but Cruise Critic have asked to re-register with an email address and I'm not allowed to use anythng that resembles part of my name, hence changed to user name to LWhit. As you can tell, I'm having a fun time with everything at the moment 😬

Received a paper offer on board Sky Princess on 3 June. Free inside cabin + $250 freeplay. Called Casino Dept (1 888 772 6997) several times to book and told offer code not recognisable. Left it over 10 working days to contact again as requested. Booked via phone on 3 July and paid port taxes of $220 by credit card for 2 Sep 2023 sailing. It was my offer, but they incorrectly put my husband's name as lead when email received. The invoice showed FULL balance payable on 4 July or cruise will be cancelled. Called (casino dept) 5 July to ask that cruise is not cancelled as casino will pick up the fare and we just need to pay upgrade fee from inside to balcony. Paid $200pp deposit which will be returned as OBC and they said it would be okay and a new email will follow. 6 July - cancellation of cruise email received and $500 cancellation fee is due. I'm currently out of pocked by $620 on credit card and possibly a further $500 if cancelation fees are due and NO CRUISE. I've tried calling but continually get through to Philipines who say it will take 10 working days to escalate - book by date expires on 28 July. Any suggestions as to what to do now?

For comparison, here's the Plus wines - only grape variety is mentioned

This was taken on the Regal Princess in April 2023 but remained the same on Sky Princess in May 2023

This was the list in Oct 2019 but they may have updated it since then. You can also ask to see if they have a drink that you like available as a substitution to the offering on the list. Sometimes it's available, sometimes not, so you take a chance. You can take your own on board and use the mixers (ie. coke/lemonade) in the mini bar which are replenished when empty.

Got off Sky on 3 June. Can't remember all tables, but certainly there were 2 Roulette, 1 Craps, 1 Baccarat, 1 Heads up Texas Holdem, 1 Fun 21 Blackjack, various Blackjack from $6 min/$25 min, 3 card poker, electronic Texas Holdem table. No Let it Ride (there was on Regal Princess) Various slots from 30c to $1 min, both traditional and multi videoscreen type. With the casino bar gone, there are more slots than there were last year. Smoking slots are the ones away from the tables.

It's a shame it's only open to those who have booked directly. We have done upgrade bids on Azamara and Celebrity (booked via a TA) and they have worked very well. We received acceptance of the offer 2 days before sail date. Princess have now started doing upgrade bids. If booked in the UK, we are not eligible to bid though - if you are a UK customer booked through a US agency, you can bid, just not if booked in the UK, which is a shame. You do not know what cabin you will get and have to take that risk, but certain grades of cabin can usually be identified beforehand - eg moving up from Celebrity Suite on Silhouette to Penthouse Suite was an easy way to tell as there's only 2 on the ship. However, if moving from an aft balcony to a midships balcony, then it could be any cabin within the midships range. @Host Hattie other forums (Celebrity and Azamara) have a sticky on upgrade bids. If this becomes a thing with Cunard, it may be something you might wish to start on this board.

We're booked on Journey 28 Sep 2023 and previously booked the Azamazing evening in Koper when the 4 ships meet. Received an email cancelling this so not sure if they will be doing anything special for the 4 ships meeting now. The new Azamazing evening is showing in Sorrento as a "Caruso evening" on board. It seems there may be two sessions as it offers one at sunset and one under the stars. We may not bother as we had this same evening in Oct 2021 on board (in the Vista lounge) on the Pursuit. It may be different on deck but it is a shame that the Koper evening was cancelled.

We used the Steigenberger and caught a taxi to the join QM2 which took about 10 minutes. The hotel is on the watersedge and a short walk into main area where the Town Hall is.

Pics attached of 3002 - had the cabin twice 5nts HK-SIN and 2nts Ston-Hamburg pre-pandemic. It's the first cabin in the corridor and you will occasionally hear the fire door shut but generally it's a quiet area with little foot traffic as many see the closed door and don't go through it.

Ear plugs and eye mask if a light sleeper - light can seep in under the door from the corrider and between the curtains and the ship's movement causes creaks in some cabins more than others. Ear plugs also help on the last night when wardrobes/closets are empty and the hangars clang against each other 😂